In John Wick: Chapter 4, a new dog plays an essential role in the action sequel. But will this canine make it to the end? If you need that information before deciding whether or not to watch the film, continue reading.
John Wick Chapter 4: What We Know So Far
The John Wick franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, and fans eagerly anticipate the release of the fourth installment, John Wick Chapter 4. With the previous movies setting such a high standard for action and storytelling, expectations for the new movie are sky-high. Here’s what we know so far about John Wick Chapter 4.
The death of the title character’s wife began the John Wick saga. The death of his dog follows a cold-blooded murder that sends John on a murderous rampage that has now spanned four films and counting.
Some dog lovers avoided watching the original film because of the doggy death. And now that a new ‘best friend’ has joined the John Wick cast, we’ll be able to help those who feel the same way make an informed decision about watching the sequel.
The Release Date: John Wick movies
Initially slated for a 2021 release, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay in production, and the movie’s release date was pushed back to May 27, 2022. The delay disappointed fans, but it gave the filmmakers more time to work on the movie and ensure that it lived up to the high standards set by the previous films.
Who is the dog in John Wick: Chapter 4?
A Belgian Malinois is a new dog in John Wick: Chapter 4. The dog has no name, and the production notes refer to him as a “faithful accomplice.”
The dog is an accomplice to ‘The Tracker,’ also known as Mr. Nobody, played by Canadian actor Shamier Anderson.
At various points throughout the film, five dogs play the role, with Anderson explaining, “I had to be with the dogs every day.” Each had a distinct personality, energy level, and skill set. One dog tugged while another fetched. Not only did I get to know them, but I also worked hard to understand their energy and establish a credible relationship.”
Does the dog die in John Wick 4?
In John Wick 4, the dog does not die despite the animal being essentially an extension of The Tracker as he hunts down his prey and is thus almost always in danger.
“We wanted to seamlessly integrate the dog into the story, not just have it do stunts and attacks,” director Chad Stahelski says of the canine. We liked the idea of a character who could track and smell Wick.”
The dog is nearly killed in Chapter 4, but he survives each close call, with the title character even rescuing him during one theatrical sequence.
He also adds humor to the proceedings, chewing on a character’s nuts before peeing on his head in one scene. Good work, young man!
John Wick 4: Keanu Reeves explains the emotional ending
John Wick is currently murdering rival assassins in cinemas all over the planet. The eagerly anticipated sequel hit cinemas today, meaning chatter is already turning to the film’s ending and what that might mean for the franchise’s future.
But now the film is out, star Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski are also going on the record regarding the film’s powerful climax. So BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD…
Keanu Reeves on the death of John Wick
At the end of Chapter 4, John Wick dies. He appears to die on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, while the following scene takes place at his grave. John Wick is done until the filmmakers need to resurrect the character for Chapter 5 or the spinoff Ballerina.
When asked why this monumental decision was made, Keanu Reeves says he and director Chad Stahelski felt the sequel needed to be about death.
“We had the opportunity because of the audience’s [response to] Chapter Three, and we were like, ‘Why?'” According to Reeves, The Hollywood Reporter. “And when Chad and I were talking, the Why? was death – John Wick’s death.” The film was made for him to find peace or freedom somehow. It can’t just be, ‘Let’s do it again.’ It was all about death or how to die. The Hagakure was a massive inspiration for us.”
The narrative was heavily influenced by the Japanese code of ethics, according to Stahelski, who adds, “We kind of took the way of dying – or the way we live well to die well – as the theme.”
Reeves even says his favorite scene in the film is the character’s death scene, telling THR: “If I just looked at it from [the perspective of] John – John Wick – maybe him at the end on the stairs.” ‘Helen,’ he says. After eight years of playing the role and filming the [massive fight on the previous set of stairs], that was [a poignant link] to the past for me.”
How to watch John Wick 4 – is it streaming?
John Wick: Chapter 4 – the latest sequel in the Keanu Reeves action franchise – is out now, so here’s everything you need to know about how to watch it and if it’s available on streaming.
“A new day is dawning in Wick’s world: new rules, new ideas, and new management, as personified by The High Table’s sadistic frontman, Marquis,” according to the official synopsis. Wick now has a way out, win or lose: challenge the Marquis to single combat. If Wick wins, the Table will keep its word, and Wick will no longer be a target. Whatever happens, John Wick knows he left a good life behind a long time ago.”
With this latest installment expected to be the most successful John Wick film yet, here’s everything you need to know about where to watch it.
Is John Wick 4 streaming?
John Wick 4 is not currently streaming. Chapter 4 is exclusively available in cinemas today, March 24, 2023.
It is not available on any streaming platform, nor can it be rented or purchased through any digital or VOD service, such as Amazon Prime.
It’s unclear when it’ll be added to a streaming platform, but as a Lionsgate release, the action sequel will likely be available on Starz, the Roku Channel, and Peacock in the United States.
We’ll update this article as soon as news of when and where John Wick: Chapter 4 will stream emerges.
Where to stream the previous John Wick movies
Living in the United States, you can watch John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3, and John Wick: Chapter 4 – Parabellum on Peacock. If you subscribe to that service, the trilogy is currently available.
What happens to Charon in John Wick 4? The fate of Lance Reddick’s Concierge explained.
Charon has played an essential role in the first three John Wick films, with Lance Reddick’s Concierge overseeing the arrivals and departures at the Continental. But what happens in Chapter 4 to the late actor’s character?
Dexerto attended a preview screening of John Wick: Chapter 4 after Lance Reddick had died, and the entire audience took a deep breath when he first appeared onscreen. You could feel the sadness in the room because his death was so recent.
Because Reddick’s Charon is an essential character in the John Wick universe, here’s how his emotional storyline unfolds in Chapter 4. BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD…
What happens to Charon in John Wick 4?
The Marquis begins the film by condemning The Continental and blowing up the hotel. “You are no longer in New York,” he tells Winston, The Manager. You are insignificant. You have been excommunicated.”
The Marquis then says, “As a result, we no longer require the services of a concierge,” before shooting Charon. As previously stated, the emotion could be felt in the theatre – a moment of collective grief.
“It’s been an honor, my friend,” Charon says to Winston before dying. “It should have been me,” Winston responds. Charon disappears with that.
Why The Concierge might return
However, the character Lance Reddick may not be seen again; Charon was announced as a character in the spinoff film Ballerina late last year, with Lance Reddick reprising his role.
Most of that film is already in the can, so depending on how those involved feel about including footage of the actor, audiences may get one more chance to see Reddick play the Concierge.
However, the character, Lance Reddick, may not be seen again. Charon was announced as a character in the spinoff film Ballerina late last year, with Lance Reddick reprising his role.
Most of that film is already in the can, so depending on how those involved feel about including footage of the actor, audiences may get one more chance to see Reddick play the Concierge.
13 best kills in all John Wick movies – including Chapter 4
Wicked John. Baba Yaga is a witch. The Spirit. The Phantom. Jardani Jovanovich is a surname. That last one is his actual name. But a man with so many aliases can only mean one thing: he’s the best in the business. Wick, an assassin with a mission – to get out of the game once and for all – has had to up the ante regarding execution and evasion. As a result, the price on his head has skyrocketed, and he’s amassed a slew of iconic John Wick kills.
As Wick takes on the High Table and a slew of other assassins looking for a big payday in John Wick: Chapter 4, there is a slew of new and inventive dispatches vying for a spot on the best John Wick kills list.
Lance Reddick’s death last week shook the entertainment industry. The celebrated actor was best known for two roles: Cedric Daniels in The Wire and Concierge Charon in the John Wick films. Reddick has appeared in recurring roles on Oz, Fringe, and Bosch, and his film credits include White House Down, The Guest, and Godzilla vs. Kong.
Spoiler: not all of them are at the hands of the title character!
So let’s look at our pick of the series’ most thrilling eliminations: we present the franchise’s best John Wick kills.
Iosef’s done for
When John Wick first hit theatres in 2014, word of mouth led audiences to embrace the plight of a man trying to come to terms with the death of his wife. His wife arranged for the delivery of a Beagle puppy – Daisy – after her death to help him heal, giving him something to love other than his beloved Mustang.
So, when the evil, entitled Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) and his gang break into Wick’s house to steal his car, kill his dog, and leave him for dead, they unwittingly open a can of whup-ass on themselves – which we fully support. Wick is soon revealed to be a member of a vast underworld of assassins. But they drew him back in just as he thought he was free. And we can’t wait for retaliation.
We enjoy watching big cheese. Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist) goes off on his son’s actions and the prospect of Wick seeking vengeance. This sets the stage for Keanu Reeves to go full John Wick on Yosef’s a$$. When the time comes at the end of the film, Wick uses his sniper skills to take out Iosef’s bodyguards at the warehouse where he’s holed up.
Iosef flees through the building in terror, but Wick quickly apprehends him, first dispatching a henchman from his Boogeyman-tactic off-camera position. Instead of a prolonged death sequence for the sniveling toerag, we get Mr. Wick’s characteristic short, sharp efficiency as he shoots Iosef in the stomach. Wick approaches him slowly and purposefully as he slumps to the ground.
“It was just a f**k’n,” Iosef says. Wick has a bullet in his head before he can say the word “dog.” What do you think of the apples? The first of our awesome John Wick kill list.
Unlucky for some
The first kill sequence in Chapter 1 is a no-brainer for the list. Viggo dispatches a team of hired guns to Wick’s house to eliminate him. But we’ve just seen him go from a mild-mannered grieving widower to a besuited man ready to take care of business, and we know what’s in store for these unsuspecting hitmen.
Wick tackles the home invaders with several slick moves, including a dance-like shooting of four right away, a neat leg-grapple in which he uses his opponent as leverage for both elevation and protection while shooting at another before rolling the first to the floor, finishing off the other, and shooting the first in the head.
Then, after running out of ammo, he uses his pistol to whack another in the eye after grabbing his arm while shooting his gun. Before kicking him in the testicles, launching him through a window, reloading, and finishing him off, we get our first proper glimpse of what John Wick is capable of as he showcases his quick-thinking and graceful moves. He’s always one step ahead.
But when a now-gunless Wick takes on a kitchen knife-wielding guy, we see a breathtaking move that will be repeated in future franchise installments. Wick grabs his opponent from behind before overpowering him and slamming him to the ground as the fight moves from the kitchen to the corridor. The man is strong, but Wick maneuvers the knife to point at his chest. Wick uses his other hand as a hammer to drive the knife into the guy’s chest after moving him into position.
Beaten by a beard
In our list of the best John Wick kills, this is the final entry from the first film. A bald, bearded henchman appears from an entrance to the right as Wick watches a towel-wearing Iosef flee the scene through a door in the nightclub he’s tracked him to. The man takes aim and fires at Wick.
Wick ducks for cover before firing, striking the man in the leg. Ever the improviser, Wick scans the room for items he can use before grabbing a nearby glass jug and smashing it in the villain’s face. He then grabs his beard and smashes his head on a table before shooting him twice—the conclusion.
Sumo assassin
Yamamotoyama Ryta, a Japanese wrestler, plays the titular giant assassin in John Wick: Chapter 2. The mountain man in New York confronts Wick after a bounty is placed on his head.
The big guy knocks Wick off his feet with an outstretched arm before engaging in hand-to-hand combat. But he’s too slow for Wick; drawing his gun gives Wick enough time to deflect his aim and elbow the gun out of his hand.
Wick karate chops him on both sides of the neck (come on!) before kicking him between the legs. He senses it. Wick is charged by the big guy, who pushes him through a pane of glass.
More gun wrestling ensues as Wick attempts to disarm him once more before Wick can finally shoot him in the side three times at close range during his opponent’s bull-like charge. Wick kills him with a shot to the top of the head while climbing on his back.
I’ll do it myself
John Wick kills far more men than women but makes no distinction based on gender. Wick must kill Gianna D’Antonio from Chapter 2 due to a Marker. Because Santino D’Antonio assisted John in completing Viggo’s impossible task, he now demands Wick kill his sister for him to take her place at the High Table.
Wick and Gianna were friends, but is there a hint of a previous romance? Perhaps. Nonetheless, Gianna accepts her fate, knowing she cannot escape Wick. This is John Wick.
With a f**k’n pencil
So she undresses, enters her luxurious bath, and slashes her wrists with a hair clip that doubles as a razor-sharp blade. She lived her life and will die the same way. She lies back in the water. “Do you fear hellfire, John?” she inquires.
Yes, he responds. As she walks away, he holds her hand. Then he puts a bullet in her brain for good measure. A standout moment on our list of the best John Wick kills.
With a large bounty on his head, Wick is a prime target for assassins from the underworld. In Chapter 2, he’s a huge target strolling through New York. So, of course, we see him take out not one but two of those out to kill him with something as insignificant and unlikely as a pencil.
But don’t forget that this is a big payoff for the audience. In both Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, we hear about Wick’s legendary kill, in which he allegedly dispatched three people with a pencil. Wick here proves how easy it is for him to do so when a couple of guys at a café besets him. First, he disables the first assailant by jamming it down his throat. Then he picks up another, stabbing the second assailant in hand, then in his nostril, and finally into his ear.
As the first assailant returns for more, Wick supplies another HB stab to the throat before holding the pencil against a window and ramming the guy’s head onto the sharpened end.
Book him, Danno
This John Wick: Chapter 3 kill is undoubtedly one of the all-time most excellent screen terminations. Wick’s encounter in a public library demonstrates his ability to use his surroundings to his advantage and turn anything into a weapon—even a book.
Supersized hitman Ernest follows Wick to the Russian folktale section and approaches him while quoting Dante’s Inferno. So far, so cerebral. But that’s where the brains end, and the brawn begins as the two spars, with Wick using a hardback book to avoid Ernest’s knife slashes. There’s a lot of quick thinking going on here, especially on Wick’s part, as he uses the book in novel ways to block, dodge, disarm, and attack.
The Baba Yaga is stabbed in the shoulder, but she responds with a classic nut shot before punching the book into Ernest’s face. Ernest slams Wick’s head into the shelves on either side and kicks him, knocking Wick backward.
But Wick fights back with another nut shot, a throat slam, and several face smashes before finally defeating Ernest with his reading skills, ramming the book into his mouth, breaking his jaw, and snapping his neck with it. It pays to read widely.
Hole-y moly
Following on from the library opener in Chapter 3, the next set piece is another doozy. As the contract with Wick becomes active, he searches for a haven. John enters a shop and exits through the back, which leads him into the building’s bowels.
A gang of killers pursues Wick, and he finds himself in a room full of artifacts and weapons, where he begins arming himself. He disarms two brutal martial arts specialists after shooting one in the head.
They smash cabinets and throw knives at each other after some hand-to-hand combat. A third man joins the fray. Some spectacular fight choreography results in Wick burying several hurled knives in, first – you guessed it – one guy’s testicles, then the torsos of the remaining two.
An eye for an eye
But the sequence doesn’t end there. Two more would-be assassins appear, armed with axes. He dispatches the first with a knife hammered into the skull (a classic Wick move) and the second with a knife forced into the eyeball. Here’s a look at you.
The first rule is never to leave anyone alive. An axe is thrown into the head of a sputtering survivor. The icing on top of the cake’s cherry on top. The chef’s kiss.
Stairway to hell
Osaka is the first proper global location we visit in John Wick: Chapter 4, following Wick’s brief return to the desert to kill the Elder, followed by some time in New York. We’re rewarded with a flurry of franchise-topping kills – not least Rina Sawayama’s Akira toppling some big dude on the stairs.
How does it work? Let us walk you through it. After dealing with several High Table henchmen, Akira confronts the biggest of them all. She’s outmatched in terms of size, so the blades come out. Except, of course, he’s tooled up as well.
Nonetheless, Akira sinks two blades into his thighs, and as he slithers away up the nearby steps, she rides on his back, stabbing him repeatedly. She finally kills him by inserting both blades into either side of his neck. She’s nothing if determined.
Nunchuck nuisance
Wicked John. Using a pair of nunchucks. In a room with a lot of glass cabinets. What’s not to love about this? It’s difficult to pick just one takedown from all the lackeys he dispatches in this Chapter 4 sequence, so we’ll walk you through the highlights of this delightful nunchuck fight. Not only does it highlight a skill we didn’t know – but aren’t surprised – Wick possesses, but it also shows our beloved Boogeyman using the martial arts sticks brutally and inventively (of course).
Wick uses them to savagely beat two guys over the head before shooting both of them – nice – but we love when he follows up with a bit of nunchuck flair. Wick isn’t usually a show-off, so we must admire him for appreciating his weapon.
Wick’s most memorable moment is when he sweeps one opponent off his feet, hooking the nunchucks around the backs of his knees before stomping on his nether regions (he loves a nut shot) and shooting him in the head. Oh, the snorts!
Killa takedown: a tooth for a tooth
Killa, Scott Adkins’ well-upholstered, gold-toothed asthmatic Berliner, is a delightful antagonist. This lengthy Chapter 4 fight sequence contains several moments that will make you cringe. Starting with Wick’s throat slash with a playing card. That’s got to be smart.
Wick pursues Killa into traditional Wick territory — a banging but quite a sleazy nightclub setting — and rewards him with a gunshot to the buttocks. They’re surrounded by ravers, set to throbbing electronica, and showered with indoor waterfalls.
“You shot me in the ass, bastard,” Killa says as he puffs on his inhaler. Hand-to-hand combat ensues, and Killa demonstrates surprising agility for a big guy with a lung condition. On the other hand, his strength does not astound us – at least not in catching us off guard.
Killa shoulder tosses Wick twice, drags him up some concrete steps by his tie, kicks him in the face, and knocks him over the railings to the concrete floor below. It’s a significant drop, but let’s assume the water falling on Wick is what quickly revives him.
Wick stands up, and after a run-in with some lackeys armed with axes, he and Killa square off once more. This time, Wick gains the upper hand with an elbow drop, followed by punches to the head in slow motion in the rain. Wick smacks him across the face. As the music intensifies, more men wielding axes attack. Killa stands up and inhales.
Wick throws an axe at him from behind as he runs through the crowd. Wick then flips him over the edge, killing him on the staircase. Oof. Wick punches him in the face to loosen his gold teeth before removing one as proof of death. Killa’s expression is unrivaled among onscreen corpses.
In your face
Mr. Nobody, a new tracker by Shamier Anderson, takes the final spot on this list. He’s been following Wick for most of Chapter 4, waiting for his chance to strike for a big payday. When Mr. Nobody’s dog takes a shine to canine-lover Wick for saving his life, the two find themselves unlikely allies, and they’re both pitted against chief Marquis’ (Bill Skarsgard) henchman, Chidi.
Nobody takes advantage of Donnie Yen’s Caine’s disabling of Chidi with a pencil in his hand during the final stages of the fight on the steps leading to Paris Basilica, Sacré-Coeur. The dog growls as the High Table heavy crawls towards the gun on the floor.
Mr. Nobody says, “Nuts,” and the dog rushes for the space between the man’s legs. He bites him and drags him along. Wick isn’t the only one seeking vengeance.
Nobody says, “You hit my puppy dog,” before shooting him in the head. The dog pees on his face and cocks his leg. Consequences.
John Wick 4: Keanu Reeves explains the emotional ending
In theatres around the world, John Wick is currently murdering rival assassins. The eagerly anticipated sequel was released today, so talk has already turned to the film’s ending and what it might mean for the franchise’s future.
But now the film is out, star Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski are also going on the record regarding the film’s powerful climax. So BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD…
Keanu Reeves on the death of John Wick
At the end of Chapter 4, John Wick dies. He appears to die on the steps of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, while the following scene takes place at his grave. John Wick is done until the filmmakers need to resurrect the character for Chapter 5 or the spinoff Ballerina.
When asked why this monumental decision was made, Keanu Reeves says he and director Chad Stahelski felt the sequel needed to be about death.
“We had the opportunity because of the audience’s [response to] Chapter Three, and we were like, ‘Why?'” According to Reeves, The Hollywood Reporter. “And when Chad and I were talking, the Why? was death – John Wick’s death.” The film was made for him to find peace or freedom somehow. It can’t just be, ‘Let’s do it again.’ It was all about death or how to die. The Hagakure was a massive inspiration for us.”
The narrative was heavily influenced by the Japanese code of ethics, according to Stahelski, who adds, “We kind of took the way of dying – or the way we live well to die well – as the theme.”
Reeves even says his favorite scene in the film is the character’s death scene, telling THR: “If I just looked at it from [the perspective of] John – John Wick – maybe him at the end on the stairs.” ‘Helen,’ he says. After eight years of playing the role and filming the [massive fight on the previous set of stairs], that was [a poignant link] to the past for me.”
The Plot: John Wick movies
Details of the plot are still under wraps, but it’s safe to assume that the movie will pick up where the last one left off. At the end of John Wick, Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick found himself in a precarious situation, having been declared excommunicated by the assassins’ guild, with a $14 million bounty on his head. The new movie will likely explore the fallout from these events and put John Wick in even more danger than before.
The Cast: John Wick movies
One of the most exciting aspects of John Wick’s Chapter 4 is the returning cast. Keanu Reeves will once again play the iconic hitman John Wick, and Ian McShane will reprise his role as Winston, the owner of the Continental Hotel. Lance Reddick will also return as the hotel’s Concierge, Charon, and Laurence Fishburne is back as the Bowery King. Additionally, the movie will introduce several new characters, including Donnie Yen, an old friend of John Wicks, and Hiroyuki Sanada as the movie’s main villain.
The Director: John Wick movies
Chad Stahelski, who directed the previous three John Wick movies, will again be at the helm for John Wick Chapter 4. Stahelski is known for his expertise in crafting intricate and intense action sequences, and fans are eager to see what he has in store for the new movie.
Conclusion: John Wick movies
While details of the plot are still unknown, the returning cast, the new additions, and the talented director suggest that John Wick Chapter 4 will be another thrilling entry in the franchise. Fans can’t wait to see what kind of trouble John Wick will get into next, and May 27, 2022, can’t come soon enough.
